Collating table for email

ABSTRACT

A collating table containing user-defined sort criteria in ranked order is employed in sorting electronic mail messages for display to the user. Entries within the collating table prioritize unread and/or previously viewed messages based upon the address of the sender or similar attributes, and may each contain a specific username and domain address, a domain of user addresses, or a plurality of addresses of either type. Entries within the collating table may be fixed or dynamic, with dynamic entries automatically updated based on historical statistics relating to the frequency and/or speed of response by the user to messages previously received from the sender, speed of opening or deleting prior messages from the sender, or some user-specified combination of such attributes. Addresses within the dynamic entries may percolate up or down the ranking of the collating table, with aging employed in removing addresses from the collating table. Other users may be given access to portions of the collating table to rank their own messages to the user, and specific messages may be ranked within or above any messages received from addresses within the collating table until deleted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to displaying electronic mailmessages and in particular to ordering electronic mail messages fordisplay. Still more particularly, the present invention relates tosorting electronic mail messages based on a user-defined system ofpriority and displaying the messages in the order dictated by thatsystem.

2. Description of the Related Art

Any electronic mail user who has returned from a business trip, vacationor other prolonged absence from work understands the frustration offinding dozens or even hundreds of new electronic mail messages (“e-mailmessages” or “e-mails”) in the user's account. Work-related e-mailstypically number in the tens or hundreds of messages per day for a user,depending on the user's position within an enterprise. After adding inunsolicited promotional messages, messages from list servers or chatgroups and the like, and other messages of a personal nature (such asstock alerts, electronic bills or bill reminders, bulk-mail circulationsof items from acquaintances, and news or weather alerts), the number ofmessages which may confront a user after returning from a departure of aweek or more may border on unmanageable.

Conventional e-mail client applications such as Microsoft Outlook orNovell Groupwise allow messages to be sorted based on the time themessages were sent in either forward or reverse chronological order,alphabetically by sender in ascending or descending order, oralphabetically by subject in ascending or descending order. New or“unread” messages may be displayed with different characteristics frommessages which the user has already viewed (e.g., in boldface), butgenerally cannot be sorted separately from the previously viewedmessages. In addition, usually only one sort criteria may be employed bythe user at a time, rather than hierarchical or multi-tiered sorting(e.g., sort by sender and, for each unique sender, sort by subject).Messages, whether old or new, cannot be sorted based upon user-specifiedcriteria.

It would be desirable, therefore, to enable sorting of e-mail messagesaccording to user-specified criteria.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide improveddisplay of electronic mail messages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide improvedordering of electronic mail messages for display.

It is yet another object of the present invention to enable sorting ofelectronic mail messages based on a user-defined system of priority anddisplay of the messages in the order dictated by that system.

The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. A collatingtable containing user-defined sort criteria in ranked order is employedin sorting electronic mail messages for display to the user. Entrieswithin the collating table prioritize unread and/or previously viewedmessages based upon the address of the sender or similar attributes, andmay each contain a specific username and domain address, a domain ofuser addresses, or a plurality of addresses of either type. Entrieswithin the collating table may be fixed or dynamic, with dynamic entriesautomatically updated based on historical statistics relating to thefrequency and/or speed of response by the user to messages previouslyreceived from the sender, speed of opening or deleting prior messagesfrom the sender, or some user-specified combination of such attributes.Addresses within the dynamic entries may percolate up or down theranking of the collating table, with aging employed in removingaddresses from the collating table. Other users may be given access toportions of the collating table to rank their own messages to the user,and specific messages may be ranked within or above any messagesreceived from addresses within the collating table until deleted.

The above as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages ofthe present invention will become apparent in the following detailedwritten description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are setforth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well asa preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, willbest be understood by reference to the following detailed description ofan illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a data processing system and network in which a preferredembodiment of the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic mail system in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a high level flow chart for a process of employing auser-defined collating table in sorting messages for display inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference toFIG. 1, a data processing system and network in which a preferredembodiment of the present invention may be implemented are depicted.Data processing system 102 forms part of a data processing systemnetwork 104 in which electronic mail messages may be transmitted inaccordance with the known art. Data processing system 102 is connectedto a network communications medium 106, which may include somecombination of a local area network connection, dial-up access, and/orthe Internet backbone. Data processing system 102 is employed by a userto access an electronic mail account in order to read and/or composeelectronic mail messages in accordance with the known art.

Various user units 108 a-108 n, also coupled to network communicationsmedium 106, may be employed to originate electronic mail messagesdirected to a user employing data processing system 102. Such electronicmail messages may be passed via one or more servers 110 a-110 n from theoriginating data processing systems 108 a-108 n to the data processingsystem 102 employed by the recipient user. The electronic mail systemexecuting on the data processing systems within network 104 enables therecipient user of data processing system 102 to receive the electronicmail messages and includes the functionality described below for sortingthe electronic mail messages based on user-specified priorities.

Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of an electronic mail system inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention isillustrated. Electronic mail system 202 executes on the data processingsystems of network 104 depicted in FIG. 1, and is intended to be read inconjunction with FIG. 1. Electronic mail system 202 includes anelectronic mail client application 204 for retrieving, ordering, anddisplaying electronic mail messages to the recipient user of dataprocessing system 102. Client application 204 may execute within dataprocessing system 102, or alternatively may execute within one ofservers 110 a-110 n (e.g., a HyperText Transfer Protocol or World WideWeb server) which simply provides display information to, and receivesuser control signals from, data processing system 102.

Electronic mail client application 204 retrieves electronic mailmessages 206 directed to the recipient user of data processing system102 from electronic mail server application 208, which may execute onany of servers 110 a-110 n. Any existing mail protocol may be employedto transfer the electronic mail messages from server application 208 toclient application 204.

In the present invention, electronic mail system 202 includes auser-defined collating table 210 specifying the sort order forelectronic mail messages—either only new messages, both old and newmessages, or old messages—for display. Entries within a sort orderspecification portion 212 of collating table 210 define the manner inwhich electronic mail messages are sorted for display within a userinterface display 214 for the electronic mail client 204. Any electronicmail messages matching the criteria specified within the first entry ofsort order specification section 212 are displayed first, any messagesmatching the criteria specified in the second entry of sort orderspecification section 212 are displayed after that, and so on. Messagesmatching the criteria specified at the top of the collating table 210will be displayed first, with other message displayed below based onother sort criteria. If more than one electronic mail message matchesthe sort criteria specified within an entry in sort order specificationsection 212, those messages may be secondarily sorted by either auser-specified secondary sort criterion or by a default attribute suchas date and time received. Messages matching none of the criteriaspecified within entries of the collating table 210 are displayed at theend, sorted (for example) based on time and date received or sender.

The sort criteria specified within entries in the collating table 210are preferably electronic mail addresses, either whole or partial, whichare compared to the “From” or sender fields of the electronic mailmessages being sorted for display. An entry may contain a completeelectronic mail address in the form “username@domainname.com,” or maysimply contain the domain name. Thus, for example, if the user wishes toset all electronic mail messages from coworkers to a specific prioritywithin the sort order, the user may simply enter the domain name of theenterprise at which the user works within the corresponding collatingtable entry. On the other hand, if the user wishes to prioritizemessages only from a particular individual within a large group havingsimilar domain names within their electronic mail addresses (e.g.,America Online users), the user may also specify the e-mail accountusername to be employed in matching to the sender field of messagesbeing sorted.

Other sort criteria, such as terms within the subject line of a receivedmessage, may be employed within entries of the collating table 210.However, such criteria may be of limited usefulness in achieving adesired prioritization among received messages.

The sort criteria within collating table 210 may be applied only to new(unread) messages, or may be selectively applied at the user's option toboth new and “old” (previously viewed) messages. Alternatively, separatecollating tables 210 and 216 may be separately utilized for new and oldmessages, respectively.

The user-defined criteria within collating table 210 specify a sortorder for newly received messages. For example, if a user receivesmessages from her manager, coworkers, family and friends, the user maywish the newly received messages from her manager to be displayed firstwithin the listing of received messages, ahead of other messages whichmay be older but less important to the user.

The electronic mail client 204 may provide assistance in determiningwhich criteria to employ within collating table 210 and whether suchcriteria should be placed high or low within the entries of collatingtable 210. Client 204 may track historical information 218 regarding auser's actions with respect to messages from a particular source andemploy such information in providing guidance to the user in definingentries for the collating table 210.

For example, sender addresses within messages to which the user repliesmay “bubble” up towards the top of the collating table, with theaddresses from the most recently replied to messages being higher thanolder messages. The fact that the user replies to messages from thecorresponding address is an indication that the user considers themessages important. Messages from addresses to which the user neverreplies (e.g., promotional messages) are usually less urgent and neednot be read first. Client 204 may count addresses replied to and createan intermediate “suggestion” collating sequence (not shown) from whichthe user may promote all or selected addresses to the actual collatingtable 210. Alternatively, client 204 may, at the user's direction,automatically promote addresses from frequently replied to messages tothe actual collating table 210 under user-specified rules.

In this regard, collating table 210 may include a number of fixedentries 212 versus a number of dynamic entries 220. Fixed entries 212specify sorting criteria which must be manually changed or deleted bythe user, while dynamic entries 220 contain sorting criteria which areautomatically changeable by client 204 based on monitored user actions.In this manner, sort criteria may “percolate” up or down the ranking ofdynamic entries 220. Dynamic entries 220 may be interspersed in rankingwith fixed entries 212, such as a configuration where the upper mostentries of collating table 210 are fixed, followed by a number ofdynamic entries, and concluding with another set of fixed entries formessages of least importance. The dynamic entries may be split, with afirst set identifying messages which should be listed above messageswhich do not match any criteria specified in collating table 210 (higherpriority than non-matching messages) and a second set identifyingmessages which should be listed after such messages (lower priority),with non-matching message, if any, displayed in between and sorted bydefault criteria (e.g., time and date).

Client 204 may also track the time interval between when a message isfirst viewed by or displayed to the user and when the user replies tothat message. Addresses for messages which are replied to more quicklymay be given priority over addresses for messages to which the user isslower in responding. A quick response to a message implies that theuser is more interested in seeing future messages from the sender first.Additionally, frequency of response to messages from a given address maybe employed in addition to or in lieu of speed of response. Client 204may incorporate these addresses within the suggestion sequence orautomatically promote these addresses into the actual collating table210 based on user-defined rules.

Similar to tracking reply times, client 204 may also determine addressesfrom messages which are more quickly opened after first being presentedto the user as compared to other new messages first presented at thesame time. Such addresses may be weighted towards the top of collatingtable 210, since the implication of a user selecting a message first isthat the user is more interested in messages from that sender.Alternatively, addresses from messages which are more quickly deleted(with or without being viewed by the user) may be weighted towards thebottom of the sort order within collating table 210 since quick deletionis an indicator that messages from that source are a low priority forthe user, who would otherwise keep the messages longer.

The user may define rules for intermediate or automatic promotion ofaddresses to entries within collating table 210. The user may specify norules, with messages being sorted by arrival date and time as in theexisting art. Alternatively, the user may prioritize the system's rulesto rank most frequently replied to addresses above more quickly repliedto addresses, or to give less weight to the addresses of messages whichare opened more quickly than others if the user prefers to open theleast interesting messages first for quick deletion.

The presence of addresses within collating table 210 based on promotionfor frequent or quick response or the like may be temporary. An agingformula may be provided to account for a flurry of correspondence withinsome time span (for example, relating to some project which is completedin due course), so that the relevant messages do not permanently skewthe collating table. With the aging formula, addresses can be graduallymoved down and/or off the collating table 210 as more recent orimmediate messages alter the statistics.

For example, a user may change positions within an enterprise and/or beassigned to a new manager. Even though the user has received a lot ofimportant e-mail from the former manager in the past, messages from thatsource (e.g., the user remains on the former manager's distributionlist) may become a lower priority. Client 204 may determine that,because the user does not respond to messages from the former manager(and/or quickly deletes such messages), the priority of the addressshould be lowered. Despite the user having, for instance, ten messagesfrom the former manager, if the user has not responded to any of themessages within some time interval such as ten days, the prior year'sworth of correspondence should not bias the statistics and result inthat address being placed at the top of collating table 210. After adefined period (such as a week or ten days) of the user deletingmessages from a particular addresses without responding to them, theaddresses should be automatically demoted by client 204 within thecollating table 210, with further demotions occurring as additional timeelapses. Instead of a raw period of time (such as a calendar week),client 204 may employ only “active” periods (e.g., days when the useractually logs in to check her messages) in computing aging.

Other users may be permitted to access collating table 210 for a user todictate ordering of newly received messages. For example, a user'smanager, by password control, may be permitted to access collating table210 for the user to specify that messages from him (the user's manager)will always be displayed first within a listing of new messages. Uponmanagement change, the new manager could replace the address within thefirst entry to his own address. The user may preclude other users fromsetting the highest order entries within collating table 210, reservingsuch designations to the user so that messages from the user's personalfamily (e.g., spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.) are alwayslisted above messages from the user's manager, if the user's managerspecifies a priority within collating table 210. Entries may containmore than one criteria stated in the alternative, so that messages fromany of the user's family members may all be assigned the highestpriority.

Priorities within collating table 210 may also be assigned to specificmessages. For example, if the recipient has a very important messagewhich the users wishes to be displayed first in any listing, regardlessof the fact that it has already been viewed, the message could be markedto be always listed first, regardless of the filter or “view” (e.g.,“Unread messages only” or “All messages”) currently applied to theuser's in-box. Other specific messages could be assigned second andthird priority, and so on.

Client 204 may also employ different color and icon designations formessages matching sort criteria specified within collating table 210.For example, mail sorted simply by default criteria such as date/timemay be displayed in blue or black letters, while messages matchingsorting criteria within the collating table 210 are displayed in redletters, or with yellow highlighting. For example, a boiling teapot iconutilized to signify “hot message” may be placed next to messages whichmatch the highest order sorting criteria within collating table 210.Other user-defined icons, such as a bottle of Pepto Bismol, may beassigned by the user to collating table entries to identify messagescorresponding to the entry as distasteful but important, or a wastebasket icon for messages which are automatically sorted towards thebottom of a listing based on past user actions (e.g., quickly deletedmessages).

Client 204 should also allow the user to switch between different views,such as with messages sorted by default criteria or sorted according tothe collating table 210. Separate collating tables—for example, one foremphasizing work-related messages and one for emphasizing personalmessages—may be employed, and the user allowed to switch quickly betweenviews sorted by different collating tables.

With reference now to FIG. 3, a high level flow chart for a process ofemploying a user-defined collating table in sorting messages for displayin accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention isdepicted. The process begins at step 302, which depicts a user logginginto an electronic mail account. The process first passes to step 304,which illustrates retrieving any new messages for the account, and thento step 306, which depicts sorting the messages—newly retrieved messagestogether with any previously retrieved but unread messages andoptionally with any previously viewed messages which have not yet beendeleted—utilizing the sorting criteria specified within a collatingtable (or an active collating table) for the user. The messages are thendisplayed for the user in the sort order defined by the collating table,and with the attributes and/or icons specified by the collating tablefor particular messages.

The process next passes to step 308, which illustrates a determinationof whether the user has opened, replied to, or deleted any messages. Ifso, the process proceeds to step 310, which depicts updating thetracking statistics maintained for the user, and optionally updatingdynamic portions of the collating table. Updating the collating tablemay alternatively be deferred until the user logs off or changes views;similarly, the display may be updated based on the immediate changes tothe collating table, or such changes may be deferred until the user nextlogs in or changes views.

The process passes next to step 312, which illustrates a determinationof whether the user has logged off. If not the process returns to step308 to continue monitoring user actions. If so, however, the processproceeds instead to step 314, which illustrates the process becomingidle until the user next logs in.

The present invention allows user-specified criteria to be employed insorting electronic mail messages for display to the user. In thismanner, particular messages or groups of messages, or messages fromspecific individuals or groups, may be listed first within a display ofelectronic mail messages.

It is important to note that while the present invention has beendescribed in the context of a fully functional data processing systemand/or network, those skilled in the art will appreciate that themechanism of the present invention is capable of being distributed inthe form of a computer usable medium of instructions in a variety offorms, and that the present invention applies equally regardless of theparticular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out thedistribution. Examples of computer usable mediums include:

-   nonvolatile, hard-coded type mediums such as read only memories    (ROMs) or erasable, electrically programmable read only memories    (EEPROMs), recordable type mediums such as floppy disks, hard disk    drives and CD-ROMS, and transmission type mediums such as digital    and analog communication links.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of displaying electronic mail messages, comprising: sortinga plurality of messages utilizing user-defined sort criteria includingat least one criterion which is not alphabetic, chronological, or basedon a previous viewing of corresponding messages; ordering the pluralityof messages according to the user-defined sort criteria; and displayingthe plurality of messages in the order specified by the user-definedsort criteria; wherein the step of sorting a plurality of messagesutilizing user-defined sort criteria including at least one criterionwhich is not alphabetic, chronological or based on a previous viewing ofcorresponding messages further comprises sorting the plurality ofmessages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message; wherein the step of sorting the plurality of messagesbased on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for eachmessage further comprises comparing a sender's address for each messageto a ranked list of senders' addresses: wherein the step of comparing asender's address for each message to a ranked list of senders' addressesfurther comprises: comparing the sender's address for each message to aset of senders' addresses specified by a user as higher priority thanother messages; comparing the sender's address for each message to a setof senders' addresses automatically selected based on historical messagetracking information as higher priority than other messages; comparingthe sender's address for each message to a set of senders' addressesspecified by a user as lower priority than other messages; and comparingthe sender's address for each message to a first set of senders'addresses automatically selected based on historical message trackinginformation as lower priority than other messages.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of ordering the plurality of messagesaccording to the user-defined sort criteria further comprises: orderingthe plurality of messages with any messages including a sender's addressmatching an address within a first entry within the ranked list listedfirst, with any messages including a sender's address matching anaddress within a second entry within the ranked list listed second, andwith any messages including a sender's address matching an addresswithin any subsequent entry within the ranked list listed at acorresponding position within an ordered listing of the plurality ofmessages.
 3. A method of displaying electronic mail messages,comprising: sorting a plurality of messages utilizing user-defined sortcriteria including at least one criterion which is not alphabetic,chronological, or based on a previous viewing of corresponding messages;ordering the plurality of messages according to the user-defined sortcriteria; and displaying the plurality of messages in the orderspecified by the user-defined sort criteria; wherein the step of sortinga plurality of messages utilizing user-defined sort criteria includingat least one criterion which is not alphabetic, chronological or basedon a previous viewing of corresponding messages further comprisessorting the plurality of messages based on a user-defined prioritizationof a sender's address for each message; wherein the step of sorting theplurality of messages based on a user-defined prioritization of asender's address for each message further comprises comparing a sender'saddress within each message to addresses selected from a historicaltracking of previous messages based upon rules specified by a user;wherein the step of comparing a sender's address within each message toaddresses selected from a historical tracing of previous messages basedupon rules specified by a user further comprises at least one of:selecting addresses from messages to which a user replies for higherlisting within a sort order than addresses from messages to which theuser never replies; selecting addresses from messages to which a userreplies more quickly than contemporaneous messages for higher listingwithin the sort order than other addresses; selecting addresses frommessages which a user opens more quickly than contemporaneous messagesfor higher listing within the sort order than other addresses; selectingaddresses from messages which a user opens more quickly thancontemporaneous messages for lower listing within the sort order thanother addresses; and selecting addresses from messages which a userdeletes without opening for lower listing within the sort order thanother addresses.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of sortingthe plurality of messages based on a user-defined prioritization of asender's address for each message further comprises: comparing asender's address for each message to a ranked list of senders'addresses.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of comparing asender's address for each message to a ranked list of senders' addressesfurther comprises: comparing the sender's address for each message to aranked list of senders' addresses including a set of fixed entriesspecified by a user and a set of dynamic entries containing addressesselected from historical message tracking information based on rulesspecified by the user.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step ofsorting the plurality of messages based on a user-defined prioritizationof a sender's address for each message further comprises: comparing asender's address within each message to addresses specified by a user.7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of ordering the plurality ofmessages according to the user-defined sort criteria further comprises:ordering the plurality of messages with any messages including asender's address matching an address within a first entry within theranked list listed first, with any messages including a sender's addressmatching an address within a second entry within the ranked list listedsecond, and with any messages including a sender's address matching anaddress within any subsequent entry within the ranked list listed at acorresponding position within an ordered listing of the plurality ofmessages.
 8. A system for displaying electronic mail messages,comprising: an electronic mail client application; a plurality ofmessages; means for sorting a plurality of messages utilizinguser-defined sort criteria including at least one criterion which is notalphabetic, chronological, or based on a previous viewing ofcorresponding messages; means for ordering the plurality of messagesaccording to the user-defined sort criteria; and means for displayingthe plurality of messages in the order specified by the user-definedsort criteria; wherein the means for sorting a plurality of messagesutilizing user-defined sort criteria including at least one criterionwhich is not alphabetic, chronological or based on a previous viewing ofcorresponding messages further comprises means for sorting the pluralityof messages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message: wherein the means for sorting the plurality ofmessages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message further comprises comparing a sender's address for eachmessage to a ranked list of senders' addresses; wherein the means forcomparing a sender's address for each message to a ranked list ofsenders' addresses further comprises: means for comparing the sender'saddress for each message to a set of senders' addresses specified by auser as higher priority than other messages; means for comparing thesender's address for each message to a set of senders' addressesautomatically selected based on historical message tracking informationas higher priority than other messages; means for comparing the sender'saddress for each message to a set of senders' addresses specified by auser as lower priority than other messages; and means for comparing thesender's address for each message to a first set of senders' addressesautomatically selected based on historical message tracking informationas lower priority than other messages.
 9. The system of claim 8, whereinthe means for ordering the plurality of messages according to theuser-defined sort criteria further comprises: means for ordering theplurality of messages with any messages including a sender's addressmatching an address within a first entry within the ranked list listedfirst, with any messages including a sender's address matching anaddress within a second entry within the ranked list listed second, andwith any messages including a sender's address matching an addresswithin any subsequent entry within the ranked list listed at acorresponding position within an ordered listing of the plurality ofmessages.
 10. A system for displaying electronic mail messages,comprising: an electronic mail client application; a plurality ofmessages; means for sorting a plurality of messages utilizinguser-defined sort criteria including at least one criterion which is notalphabetic, chronological, or based on a previous viewing ofcorresponding messages; means for ordering the plurality of messagesaccording to the user-defined sort criteria; and means for displayingthe plurality of messages in the order specified by the user-definedsort criteria; wherein the means for sorting a plurality of messagesutilizing user-defined sort criteria including at least one criterionwhich is not alphabetic, chronological or based on a previous viewing ofcorresponding messages further comprises means for sorting the pluralityof messages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message; wherein the means for sorting the plurality ofmessages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message further comprises means for comparing a sender'saddress within each message to addresses selected from a historicaltracking of previous messages based upon rules specified by a user;wherein the means for comparing a sender's address within each messageto addresses selected from a historical tracing of previous messagesbased upon rules specified by a user further comprises at least one of:means for selecting addresses from messages to which a user replies forhigher listing within a sort order than addresses from messages to whichthe user never replies; means for selecting addresses from messages towhich a user replies more quickly than contemporaneous messages forhigher listing within the sort order than other addresses; means forselecting addresses from messages which a user opens more quickly thancontemporaneous messages for higher listing within the sort order thanother addresses; means for selecting addresses from messages which auser opens more quickly than contemporaneous messages for lower listingwithin the sort order than other addresses; and means for selectingaddresses from messages which a user deletes without opening for lowerlisting within the sort order than other addresses.
 11. The system ofclaim 10, wherein the means for sorting the plurality of messages basedon a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for each messagefurther comprises: comparing a sender's address for each message to aranked list of senders' addresses.
 12. The system of claim 11, whereinthe means for comparing a sender's address for each message to a rankedlist of senders' addresses further comprises: means for comparing thesender's address for each message to a ranked list of senders' addressesincluding a set of fixed entries specified by a user and a set ofdynamic entries containing addresses selected from historical messagetracking information based on rules specified by the user.
 13. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the means for sorting the plurality ofmessages based on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's addressfor each message further comprises: means for comparing a sender'saddress within each message to addresses specified by a user.
 14. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the means for ordering the plurality ofmessages according to the user-defined sort criteria further comprises:means for ordering the plurality of messages with any messages includinga sender's address matching an address within a first entry within theranked list listed first, with any messages including a sender's addressmatching an address within a second entry within the ranked list listedsecond, and with any messages including a sender's address matching anaddress within any subsequent entry within the ranked list listed at acorresponding position within an ordered listing of the plurality ofmessages.
 15. A computer program product within a computer usable mediumfor displaying electronic mail messages, comprising: instructions forsorting a plurality of messages utilizing user-defined sort criteriaincluding at least one criterion which is not alphabetic, chronological,or based on a previous viewing of corresponding messages; instructionsfor ordering the plurality of messages according to the user-definedsort criteria; and instructions for displaying the plurality of messagesin the order specified by the user-defined sort criteria; wherein theinstructions for sorting a plurality of messages utilizing user-definedsort criteria including at least one criterion which is not alphabetic,chronological or based on a previous viewing of corresponding messagesfurther comprises instructions for sorting the plurality of messagesbased on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for eachmessage; wherein the instructions for sorting the plurality of messagesbased on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for eachmessage further comprises comparing a sender's address for each messageto a ranked list of senders' addresses; wherein the instructions forcomparing a sender's address for each message to a ranked list ofsenders' addresses further comprises: instructions for comparing thesender's address for each message to a set of senders' addressesspecified by a user as higher priority than other messages; instructionsfor comparing the sender's address for each message to a set of senders'addresses automatically selected based on historical message trackinginformation as higher priority than other messages; instructions forcomparing the sender's address for each message to a set of senders'addresses specified by a user as lower priority than other messages; andinstructions for comparing the sender's address for each message to afirst set of senders' addresses automatically selected based onhistorical message tracking information as lower priority than othermessages.
 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein theinstructions for ordering the plurality of messages according to theuser-defined sort criteria further comprises: instructions for orderingthe plurality of messages with any messages including a sender's addressmatching an address within a first entry within the ranked list listedfirst, with any messages including a sender's address matching anaddress within a second entry within the ranked list listed second, andwith any messages including a sender's address matching an addresswithin any subsequent entry within the ranked list listed at acorresponding position within an ordered listing of the plurality ofmessages.
 17. A computer program product within a computer usable mediumfor displaying electronic mail messages, comprising: instructions forsorting a plurality of messages utilizing user-defined sort criteriaincluding at least one criterion which is not alphabetic, chronological,or based on a previous viewing of corresponding messages; instructionsfor ordering the plurality of messages according to the user-definedsort criteria; and instructions for displaying the plurality of messagesin the order specified by the user-defined sort criteria; wherein theinstructions for sorting a plurality of messages utilizing user-definedsort criteria including at least one criterion which is not alphabetic,chronological or based on a previous viewing of corresponding messagesfurther comprises instructions for sorting the plurality of messagesbased on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for eachmessage; wherein the instructions for sorting the plurality of messagesbased on a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for eachmessage further comprises instructions for comparing a sender'saddresses within each message to addresses selected from a historicaltracking of previous messages based upon rules specified by a user;wherein the instructions for comparing a sender's address within eachmessage to addresses selected from a historical tracing of previousmessages based upon rules specified by a user further comprises at leastone of: instructions for selecting addresses from messages to which auser replies for higher listing within a sort order than addresses frommessages to which the user never replies; instructions for selectingaddresses from messages to which a user replies more quickly thancontemporaneous messages for higher listing within the sort order thanother addresses; instructions for selecting addresses from messageswhich a user opens more quickly than contemporaneous messages for higherlisting within the sort order than other addresses; instructions forselecting addresses from messages which a user opens more quickly thancontemporaneous messages for lower listing within the sort order thanother addresses; and instructions for selecting addresses from messageswhich a user deletes without opening for lower listing within the sortorder than other addresses.
 18. The computer program product of claim17, wherein the instructions for sorting the plurality of messages basedon a user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for each messagefurther comprises: comparing a sender's address for each message to aranked list of senders' addresses.
 19. The computer program product ofclaim 18, wherein the instructions for comparing a sender's address foreach message to a ranked list of senders' addresses further comprises:instructions for comparing the sender's address for each message to aranked list of senders' addresses including a set of fixed entriesspecified by a user and a set of dynamic entries containing addressesselected from historical message tracking information based on rulesspecified by the user.
 20. The computer program product of claim 17,wherein the instructions for sorting the plurality of messages based ona user-defined prioritization of a sender's address for each messagefurther comprises: instructions for comparing a sender's address withineach message to addresses specified by a user.
 21. The computer programproduct of claim 17, wherein the instructions for ordering the pluralityof messages according to the user-defined sort criteria furthercomprises: instructions for ordering the plurality of messages with anymessages including a sender's address matching an address within a firstentry within the ranked list listed first, with any messages including asender's address matching an address within a second entry within theranked list listed second, and with any messages including a sender'saddress matching an address within any subsequent entry within theranked list listed at a corresponding position within an ordered listingof the plurality of messages.